Posted on 08/25/2004 12:54:55 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
PHILADELPHIA -- After a day in which he worked to both shine a light on his political agenda and cast doubt on the Republicans' upcoming convention, John F. Kerry last night diverted from his script and instead took on critics of his Vietnam War record.
The Democratic presidential nominee, standing before a statue of Benjamin Franklin at the Franklin Institute, recalled for a crowd attending a party fund-raiser that a local congressman had just told him he ''is hearing these commentators, Republicans, all of them, saying, 'Well, John Kerry was only in Vietnam for four months, blah, blah, blah.' "
That criticism, as well as questions about whether he deserved the three Purple Hearts, Bronze Star, and Silver Star he received, have been raised in a new book and television ad produced by members of The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a Republican-backed organization. Its members also complain about Kerry's decision to oppose the war upon returning from Vietnam, as well as declarations at the time that, under terms of the Geneva Conventions, servicemen had committed atrocities during the war.
''Well, I was there for longer than that, number one," Kerry said, offering his rebuttal. ''Number two, I served two tours. Number three, they thought enough of my service to make me an aide to an admiral [upon leaving Vietnam], and the Navy 35 years ago made the awards that it made, through the normal process that they make, and I'm proud of them and I'm proud of my service and I'm proud that I stood up against the war when I came home, because it was the right thing to do."
Kerry labeled his critics ''so petty it's almost pathetic."
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
"The New Soldier" electronic adaptation can be found here
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John Kerry testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by William Fulbright, in April 1971. Photo UPI
"Kerry says focus must be shifted"
http://www.redding.com/redd/nw_national/article/0,2232,REDD_17534_3135065,00.html
Record-Searchlight (subscription), CA
What's got me angry is that a long haired poseur, transparent self promoter, is a hair's breadth away from the presidency. He's a counter cultural punk same as Bill Clinton and will trash American institutions same as Bill Clinton. If he gets in.
(Bill and Hilary at Yale circa 1971)
Hey, is that some members of the Manson family behind Kerry?
Well sKerry, if attacking your Vietnam record is petty, why did you base your entire premeditated political career on it, which included diaries, 8mm filming, re-issuing of a Silver Star 3 times, re-filming actual day-to-day patrols for keepsake value, fabricating memories to simply advance an agenda, risking a treason charge to meet with enemy combatant leaders and then repeat to yourself every night before you go to sleep for the last 35 years, "I am a war hero, and you're not"??
Something as petty as a twisted, fictional, re-writing of memories causing the entire spectrum of your naval co-warriors (for a lousy 4mos and 12 days of your entire useless life) to rise up, rebuke your stories, publish a book about it, and get square in your face about it, shouldn't bother you one little bit.
If it's petty, it's surely not worth losing a Presidential nomination over.
Move on, sKerry. This whole episode is beneath you. It's petty.
Or better yet, step aside and let the Hitlery "bring it", we're hot right now, kicking her butt would be icing on the cake!
Oh, and we haven't even had a Convention yet. You're toast, traitor!
Oh I agree. I can't believe it but I like him less than the Clintons. He's fast approaching the ridiculous level of a-hole that Gore has all to himself.
Why are these people so horrible????
''John Kerry has run a relentlessly negative campaign and has hid behind $63 million in attack ads from shadowy 527s, one of which is run by his former campaign manager," said a statement issued by Bush spokesman Steve Schmidt. ''These soft-money groups have accused the president of lying, poisoning pregnant women, and condoning torture. John Kerry spent just 26 seconds talking about his Senate record at the Democratic convention, because his positions are out of the mainstream and he doesn't want to talk about the issues."
They are would-be tyrants and that is why they are so dangerous. How they have convinced so many people they are for the "little guy" is absolutely beyond me. They live lives of privilege and wouldn't be caught dead hanging out with the little people if they weren't such phonies trying to get elected.
Hopefully I'll be laughing last but ever since he addressed the VFW last week, I've been laughing hard every time I hear him.
I'm not sure if I heard him give this speech or just heard the news reader on Fox quote but I about split my side.
He was NOT in Cambodia as it appears in his testimonty, what? Some 50 times in congressional records?
Now we find that his fist PH was apparently for a self-inflicted wound?
Hardly petty, unless we are discussing Mr. Kerry.
It's hard to find the words to describe this guy and his party. But I'll try...liars,scum,pathetic,dangerous,delusional! ...etc.
He's become comic relief.
I just re-read this and I feel like Bugs Bunny laughing at the gremlins he's reading about in that one cartoon.
I like how he says he served longer then four months in Vietnam but doesn't say how much longer, that's what caught my attention this time.
Remember Craig Livingstone's Butt-Man who harassed GOP'ers? We need a giant laughing head man to follow Kerry around and pantomime knee-slapping laughter every time Kerry says something in that operatic monotone of his.
Giant Laughing Head Man could even die laughing and have a pantomime doctor and nurse try to revive him before they too succumb to the laughing fever. Then Giant Laughing Head Man's widow and children could come out and hire Giant Head Trial Lawyer Man to sue the Kerry campaign into oblivion. It could be like that guerrilla theater the left far left loves so much.
This whole campaign is a joke! Edwards disappeared for about a week and I think I heard he was back today or yesterday but he didn't leave an impression.
I see why they're so into "Free" Health Care(TM), they need a free round of straight jackets, electro-shock therapy, and an army Nurse Ratcheds to dream about.
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